MAFF has been making such efforts as promoting sales led by ministers, transmitting information via overseas media, organizing Japanese-food related events and improving the export environment in order to convey accurate information to the world about the appeal of Japanese food and food culture while proactively expanding exports of Japanese food.

Further Spreading the Appeal of Japanese Food to the World

● Ranking of Favorite Foreign Cuisine

66.3%

Japa

nese

cui

sine

46.4%

Italia

n cu

isin

e

42.5%

Chin

ese

cuis

ine

24.6%

Kore

an c

uisi

ne

21.9%

Amer

ican

cui

sine

18.8%

Fran

ce c

uisi

ne

Thai

cui

sine

Indi

an c

uisi

ne

Mex

ican

cui

sine

Mid

dle

East

ern

and

Ara

b cu

isin

e

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

First

Second

Third

Events and exhibitions are held overseas under the theme “Japan’s Food Culture and Tourism” to introduce Japanese food and traditional crafts and to sell products.

Overseas ExhibitionsSales Led by Ministers

Receptions at Japanese embassies and consul-ates in each country, trade shows and exhibitions are attended by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and other ministers who introduce the appeal of Japanese food.

Expo Milano 2015Expo Milano 2015 was held in Milan, Italy, from May 1 to October 31, 2015. With the theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” Expo Milano 2015 featured the participation of 148 countries and regions as well as various international institutions. The expo also focused on food-related issues shared by humankind as well as on solutions and contribution measures while also introducing diverse food cultures. Japan operated the Japan Pavilion under the theme “Harmonious Diversity” and introduced Japanese foods and food culture. Through an array of exhibits, the Japan Pavilion

also introduced various efforts in the fi eld of agriculture, forestry and fi sheries as well as in food; extensive knowledge and skills found throughout Japanese food; and the ways Japanese food culture can contribute to solutions to global-scale issues such as food-related problems. The Japan Pavilion included an authentic Japanese restaurant and food court offering an abundant variety of cuisines and enabled visitors to experience the diversity and techniques of Japanese food as well as Japanese hospitality.

The 2013 registration of “Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese” as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO has triggered a large worldwide Japanese food boom. In a survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Japanese dishes ranked top in the cate-gory of “favorite foreign cuisine.” It is estimated that the number of Japanese restaurants in overseas countries has reached approximately 89,000 (as of July 2015), a 60% increase from the previous survey (January 2013). To expand exports of Japanese food we are promoting sales led by ministers, conveying infor-mation through overseas media and holding Japanese-food related events featuring leading chefs as part of efforts to communicate the appeal of Japanese food and food culture to the world.

World Food Market Expected to Double by 2020

The “FBI Strategy” was formulated as an initiative for respond-ing to this demand and raising Japan’s presence in world food markets. This strategy aims at promoting the spread of Japan’s food culture and improving the food export structure of the whole country. The strategy also aims at integrally undertaking three activities, namely, promotion of the use of Japanese food as ingredients of world cuisines (Made From Japan), overseas

expansion of Japanese food culture and food industries (Made By Japan) and promotion of the export of Japanese agricultural, forestry and fi shery products and foods (Made In Japan). The FBI strategy derives its name from the fi rst letters of “From,” “By” and “In.” Under this strategy, MAFF aims to raise the export value of agricultural, forestry and fi shery products and foods from 611.7 billion yen in 2014 to 1 trillion yen in 2020.

Aim for Exports of 1 Trillion Yen through the From x By x In Strategy

2012

450.0 billion yen

2014

611.7 billion yen

2016 Target

700.0 billion yen

Convening of Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics

2020

2020 Target

1 trillion yen

● Export Value of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Foods

“Washoku” registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of

UNESCO

2013Expo Milano 2015 under the theme

“Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”

2015

GO! GO!

Japanese Food as the World’s Most Popular Cuisine

● World Food Market

2009 2020

++340340 trillion yen trillion yen

3 times

82 trillion yen

340

340

trill

ion

yen

trill

ion

yen

680

680

trill

ion

yen

trill

ion

yen

2 times 2 times

229 trillion yenAsia, including China and India

Other countries

Multiple responses possible. Number of responses as a percentage of number of respondents. Cuisine from one’s own country was excluded from the choices. Source: Prepared based on JETRO’s Survey on Japanese Foods Directed at Overseas Consumers

Emphasizing the appeal of Wagyu beef at a Wagyu promotion Hong Kong Food Expo held in Hong Kong

With the aim of discovering talented chefs capable of conveying the magnifi cence of Japanese food in countries around the world, foreign chefs are invited to Japan to participate in a food competition where they compete in Washoku skills.

Washoku Cuisine Competition

Washoku World Challenge 2015

Although Japan’s food market is shrinking, the world food market is forecast to double from 340 trillion yen (2009) to 680 trillion yen (2020) due to an expansion of consumer markets and an increase in the affl uent class, mainly in newly emerging countries. The Asian market, including China and India, espe-cially is projected to expand sharply with an approximately threefold increase. Taking this opportunity, how food exports can be increased is a key point for further development of Japan’s agriculture, forestry and fi sheries.

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on estimates from AT Kearney. Notes: 1. Converted at the rate of 94.6 yen/US$1, which was the average exchange rate

for 2009. 2. Asia, which includes China and India, is the sum total for China, Hong Kong,

Korea, India and ASEAN (Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand). 3. The size of the market does not include Japan.

Wa shoku isNo.1!

Developing Global Markets

13.4%12.5% 10.3% 9.7%

1312

Agricultural SystemRegion

Developing “Food Value Chains”

MAFF is also promoting initiatives for increasing the number of tourists to Japan and to link their “desire to eat real Japanese dishes in Japan with an expansion of exports of agricultural, forestry and fi shery products and foods. In working toward promoting an increase in tourists to Japan, MAFF is establishing the “Hospitality of Food” structure

that will encourage people to “Visit” Japan and “Eat” and “Buy” Japanese food. We also promote tourism in rural areas to give tourists an opportunity to experience both the genuine home of authentic Japanese dishes and activities in rural areas. Accordingly, we contribute to the revitalization of local communities and expand employment.

Nationwide Export Promotion

MAFF provides information such as inspection results on radioactivity levels in food while requesting import controls based on sound science to the countries which restrict importation of food from Japan. Direct lobbying efforts such as utilizing summit meetings and foreign visits by cabinet members are also encouraged.

Response to Import Restrictions

In order to accelerate strategic participation in global markets, MAFF is supporting the development of “Global Food Value Chains” through international cooperation by public sectors and overseas investments by private sectors. Developing food value chains is defi ned as adding values at each stage from producers to consumers and enhancing linkage through chains. It can be achieved by introduction of irrigation facilities, processing technologies and cold chains*.

It contributes to the promotion of overseas business of Japanese private companies which have advanced technologies concerning food processing and low-temperature transport, exports of Japanese foods and the development of agriculture and food-related industries in developing countries.*Cold chain: Distribution network that transports products maintaining low

temperatures.

Food Value Chain

Overseas business development of Japanese food industry

Strategic utilization of economic assistance

To achieve the goal of raising the export value of Japan’s agricultural, forestry and fi shery products and foods to 1 trillion yen in 2020, MAFF formulated the “Export promotion strategy of agricultural, forestry and fi shery products and foods” (export strategy) and newly established the “Export Strategy Execution Committee” to boost the exports of the whole country. Within the committee, task forces set up for each priority product (fi shery products, rice and rice processed products, forestry products, fl owers, vegetables and fruit, beef and tea) discuss responses to their respective issues. At the same time, efforts are made to expand exports through export bodies set up for each priority product.

Encouraging People to “Visit,” “Eat” and “Buy”

◆ Creating Rural Landscape and Local Cuisine System (tentative name)

Revitalization of Regional Communities Utilizing Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)

Designated Regions in Japan (As of October 2015)

Promotion of Japanese food exports

• Food industrial parks• Food manufacturing

facilities

• Horticultural farming centers

• Farming machines and seeds

• Agricultural infrastructure(e.g. irrigation)

Production

• High-end cold chains• Cold distribution centers

Distribution

• Convenience stores, super-markets, department stores

• Restaurants

Consumption

Sado’s Satoyama in harmony with crested ibis

Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi

Traditional tea-grass integrated system in Shizuoka (local name: Chagusaba)

Managing Aso Grasslands for Sustainable Agriculture

Kunisaki Peninsula Usa Integrated Forestry, Agriculture and Fisheries System

Sado region, Niigata Prefecture

Noto region, Ishikawa Prefecture

Kakegawa peripheral region, Shizuoka Prefecture

Aso region, Kumamoto Prefecture

Kunisaki Peninsula Usa region, Oita Prefecture

Crested ibis feeding in paddy fi eld (Sado Region)

Terraced paddy fi elds connecting Satoumi and Satoyama

Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery in talks with the Turkish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock

Various logos convey to overseas consumers the appeal of the high quality and tastiness of Japanese products.

◆ Responses to Multilingual Needs and Various Customs

MAFF is promoting responses to multilingualization at restau-rants such as preparing foreign-language menus in addition to responding to needs for vegetarian and Halal dishes. We are also creating emblems indicat-ing restaurants that actively welcome foreign tourists as well as disseminating informa-tion in collaboration with restaurant websites.

With the public and private sectors working together, MAFF is creating a rural landscape and local cuisine system (tentative name) that links local foods to the appeal and stories of land-scapes for the purpose of spurring the desire of overseas tourists to visit Japan while also communicating the appeal of Japanese food and food culture.

Sake cellar tour that provides experience in sake brewing (Hokkaido)

◆ Improving the Environment for Sales of Souvenir Gifts

To make it easier for foreign tourists to purchase regional agricultural products and foods, MAFF promotes tax exemp-tions on purchases at roadside stations and farmers markets. We are also working to ensure smoother animal and plant quarantine inspections when tourists take out from Japan souvenir gifts such as agricul-tural and livestock products.

GIAHS is an initiative under which the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) designates remarkable agricultural land use systems (including forestry and fi sheries) and landscapes which are rich in globally signifi cant biological diversity evolving from the co-adaptation of the community with its environ-ment and its needs and aspirations for sustainable development. They have an intricate relationship with their territory, cultural or agricultural landscape or biophysical and wider social environment. In Japan’s designated regions, efforts are being made to revitalize rural areas by promoting the branding of agricultural products that utilize regional characteristics and promoting green tourism.

Developing Global Markets

Manufacturing & Processing

1514

To ensure progressive agriculture amid economic and social changes, which include a declining population and the advance of globalization and information communications technology (ICT), it is essential to increase the number of motivated and competent farmers who can respond to consumer needs with originality and ingenuity free from the traditional mindset as well as by making decisions independently.

Increasing Motivated and Competent Farmers The average age of persons engaged in agriculture is around 66. By age bracket, the population of farmers is conspicuously unbalanced, with persons aged 60 and above accounting for around 70% of farmers while persons aged 40 and below make up just about 10% of all farmers. In view of this situation, efforts must be made to increase young farmers to ensure the sustain-able development of agriculture. However, during the start-up phase of agricultural management, besides unstable operations, farmers face a number of issues that include obtaining necessary farming technologies and management know-how and securing essential funds. Accordingly, efforts are being made to secure new farmers through the implementation of a variety of measures: providing income support during training and immediately after commencing operations, supporting farmers employed by agri-cultural corporations, holding seminars for obtaining farming technologies and management know-how and offering interest-free loans.

Encouraging New Farmers

Women farmers account for nearly half of persons engaged in farming and play a crucial role in the advancement of agricul-tural management and in developing the sixth industrialization. Agriculture could be developed further if work environments that enable women to perform their capabilities even more

are improved. Therefore, MAFF will comprehensively support the creation of environments in which women can fully show their capabili-ties, including by expanding opportunities for women farmers to play active roles.

Promoting Active Roles for Women Farmers

Promoting the incorporation of agricultural management entities is an effective means of increasing the number of business-minded farmers. This approach offers numerous benefi ts: sophisticating business management, securing stable employ-ment, facilitating business succession, improving creditworthi-ness and expanding employment opportunities in agriculture.

Although, the number of incorporated management entities has doubled over the past 10 years, our target is increasing this number fourfold to 50,000 entities during the next 10 years. Efforts are being made to improve the support system for incorporation through providing a consultation service as well as the enrichment of agricultural management practices.

Incorporation of Agricultural Management Entities and Enrichment of Management Practices

Masaki and Yuko Kato are newly started as farmers who moved from Shiga Prefecture to Gifu Prefecture. This couple received the grant for young farmers (manage-ment start-up type) that supports securing income immediately after starting farming operations.

● Main benefi ts of incorporation of agricultural management entities

Sophisticate business management

Separate household fi nances from business and clarify composition of fi nances

Secure human resources Create attractive workplaces for excellent human resources by improving work environment

Facilitate business succession

Realize sustainable business through corporation management

Improve creditworthiness Improve creditworthiness from sales destinations and fi nancial institutions

Secure investment and fi nancing sources

Make available government fi nancing and investments

Starting as Farmers in Gifu Prefecture

Nougyou-Joshi ProjectThe Nougyou-Joshi Project is an initiative that links the production capabilities, wisdom and market powers that women farmers have cultivated in their daily lives, work and involvement with nature with company technologies, know-how and ideas for the development of new products and services and information. This project collaborates with companies and organizations inside and outside the agricultural business and conveys information from various perspectives about women who play active roles in farming.

Nougyou-Joshi Project logo

Examples of Product Development Incorporating the Ideas of Women Farmers

Nougyou-Joshi Pack for light trucks that incorporated the opinions of women farmers

Mid-year gifts that use products of women farmers

Initiatives for Advanced Incorporated EntitiesThe Funakata Farm Group in Yamaguchi Prefecture has built a new management model for the sixth industrialization as a corporate group undertaking agricultural production (primary industry), processing (secondary industry) and guest farms (tertiary industry). Group founder Kazuaki Sakamoto established the Funakata Farm Group in 1969 to undertake dairy farming. In 1972 he reorganized the group as Funakata Farm Group Ltd. based on the idea that incorporating agricultural management and expanding the scope of and diversifying management was the most effective means of establishing agriculture as an independent business. Subsequently, he progressed with combining and diversifying operations that included the establishment of Green Hill ATO (guest farm for learning (1987)) and Milk Town (manufacture and sale of milk and dairy products (1990)). To coordinate overall operations within the group, he established the Green Wind Cooperative in 1990. In 2003, Mr. Sakamoto established Hana no Umi (Flower Ocean) for under-taking large-scale systemized production of vegetable seedlings on an expansive area of land reclaimed by drainage. As a result of building a framework enabling the continuation of manage-ment with the sixth industrialization, Mr. Sakamoto has created a venue that currently employs a total of more than 300 regular and part-time staff as a source of employment for the local region.

● Estimation of the Number of Farmers (2025)

Reference: 1. Prepared from MAFF’s Census of Agriculture and Forestry (reclassifi ed compilation) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ National Census (questionnaire information independently complied by MAFF).

2. Outlook: Increases and decreases every fi ve years for each age group (as well as for the newly added number of persons in the youngest age group (15-19 years old)) assumes numbers trend at the same rate as between 2005 and 2010 while the number of farmers aged 40 and below doubles.

The unbalanced age composition will improve assuming that the number of young farmers who remain farmers doubles as a result of the increase of new farmers from younger age groups.

Developing and Securing Business-Minded Farmers

Increase

2010 (present situation) 2025 (outlook)

310,000 persons 440,000 persons

26

70

59

34

15

42 4140

1716151310

6

80 years oldand above

70-79 years old

60-69 years old

50-59 years old

40-49 years old

30-39 years old

15-29 years old

80 years oldand above

70-79 years old

60-69 years old

50-59 years old

40-49 years old

30-39 years old

15-29 years old

Unit: 10,000 persons

1716

Elementary schools

Major trunk roads

Drainage pump stations

Farmland Consolidation for Business-Minded Farmers

A strong agricultural structure must be established to make agriculture a progressive industry amid the ongoing aging of farmers and expansion in abandoned cultivated land.

Establishing a Strong Agricultural Structure

◆ For Establishing a Strong Agricultural Structure

◆ Farmland Consolidation by Public Corporations for Farmland Consolidation to Core Farmers through Renting and Subleasing (Farmland Banks)

Example of Farmland Consolidation (Wakasa Town, Fukui Prefecture)

● State of Devastated Agricultural Land (objective survey and estimate by municipalities)

Unit: 10,000 ha

Strengthening the Agricultural Infrastructure● Integrated Farmland Consolidation for the Entire Region

After using the Farmland Bank (land concentration rate for core farmers: 80%)

Note: “Devastated agricultural land” is defi ned as agricultural land currently not provided for cultivation and that has been devastated due to the abandonment of agriculture and on which the cultivation of crops under normal agricultural operations is objectively deemed impossible.

Before consolidation After consolidation

In Wakasa Town, Fukui Prefecture, there were discussions with coordination from regional promotion offi cials with expertise in local circumstances for regions where sustaining farmland was diffi cult due to the aging of farmers. Accordingly efforts were made to consolidate farmland for nearby farmers with the Farmland Bank acting as an intermediary. Before using the Farmland Bank (land

concentration rate for core farmers: 40%)

Large-plot farmland, improved farm roads, improved water and drainage canals

Small-plot farmland, narrow farm roads, poor drainage

● New Agricultural Irrigation and Drainage Systems (Model)

◆ Extending the Life of Facilities and Improving Resilience against Natural Disasters

◆ For Dramatically Raising Productivity

Improvement of the agricultural infrastructure is also important for concentration and intensifi ca-tion of farmland for core farmers and for realizing highly profi table agriculture. For this reason, MAFF promotes farmland consolidation of rice paddy fi elds into large plots in collaboration with Farmland Banks. Also, efforts are promoted to improve farmland conditions (for multipurpose use) that enable conversion into dry fi elds by enhancing drainage capacity and to develop new agricultural irrigation and drainage systems that realize labor-saving water management.

To accelerate the farmland consolidation for business-minded farmers, a public corporation for farmland consolidation (Farmland Banks) was established in each prefecture in 2014. The Farmland Banks rent agricultural land from the land lender (person wishing to rent out the land) and lease land to farmers after consolidation that enables ease of use (sublease). Executing this scheme requires discussion among farmers within the region to facilitate the farmland consolidation for business-minded farmers toward solving problems concerning farmland and people in the local region, namely the shortage of business-minded farmers and expansion of abandoned cultivated land, while also having ongoing discussions to create a blueprint for the future of villages and regions (people and farmland plan). Initiatives for solving problems concerning farmland and people through Farmland Banks are getting underway in various regions, such as the example in Wakasa Town, Fukui Prefecture.

Irrigation facilities have been built nationwide, such as irrigation channels, reservoirs and dams that supply necessary water for agriculture along with drainage canals and pump stations that drain rainwater. In recent years, however, these facilities can no longer fulfi l their intended functions due to a tendency for disasters such as earthquakes and torrential rains to be more

violent, while the deterioration of the facilities is progressing due to aging. Accordingly, efforts are being made to promote mea-sures that make agricultural irrigation and drainage systems quake resistant, extend the lives of these facilities and prevent fl ood damage in rural areas.

Farmland Bank

Land borrower

Lend(sub-lease)

Lend

CompanyLarge-scale family farms

Corporation farms

Land lender

● Make into aggregated and easy-to-use agricultural land for persons wishing to rent out the land.

Central control center

* Farmland Banks are a quasi-public corporations as designated by prefectural governors.

Introduce pipelines and ICT to build new agricultural irrigation and drainage systems that achieve labor-saving water management and respond to the diverse water usage of farmers while accelerating farmland consolidation.

Water intake facility

Introduce ICT

River

Irrigation channel

Paddy fi eld

Paddy fi eld

Paddy fi eld

Paddy fi eld

Soybeans

Paddy fi eld Wheat

Enhance efficiency of water supply system to respond closely to water demand of farmers

Water division facility

Introduce pipelines for water channels

Automatic hydrant Automatic hydrant

Confirm water level and temperature Remote control of irrigation and drainage

Automatic gate

Introduce ICT for water management

● Trends in the Number of Sudden Accidents on Actual Facilities

● Measures for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Rural Areas

Deterioration from aging and local deterioration

Rain, land subsidence, others

Number of sudden accidents (total)

Tendency toward frequent sudden

accidents such as pipeline ruptures

Improvement of drainage pump stations

Flood damage in rural areas due to torrential rains

Implement water drainage measures

(Accidents)

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

020031993 1998 2008 2013

618 630

796

1033

YearTotal area of devastated agricultural land

Reusable devastated agricultural land (A category)

Devastated agricultural land expected to be diffi cult to reuse (B category)

2013 27.3 13.8 13.5

Agricultural Structural Reforms

The current age composition of farmers is conspicuously unbalanced and under these circumstances there are concerns of a sharp rise in the number of farmers retiring as well as a surge in abandoned cultivated land within fi ve and 10 years. Amid this situation, to ensure the sustainable development of agriculture, it is necessary to establish an agricultural struc-ture whereby effi cient and stable agricultural management undertakes a major portion of production. Therefore, it is essential to improve environments in which farmers who take on challenges with good business sense and independent decision-making can play leading roles. Comprehensive efforts are being made to concentrate and intensify farmland for business-minded farmers, aiming to increase the ratio of farmland used by business-minded farmers from the current 50% to 80% over the next 10 years.

Automatic gate

1918

2014198919620

60

80

100

(kg/person year)

In Japan, a variety of agricultural and livestock products are produced in accordance with the conditions and circumstances of each region. Regarding the main agricultural products such as rice, vegetables, fruits, fl owers and livestock products indispensable in Japanese food culture, various support measures are being implemented for expanding production and consumption.

Agricultural and Livestock Products Indispensable in Japanese Food Culture

Per capita rice consumption has decreased by nearly half during the past 50 years due to the aging of society, the declining population and changing dietary patterns. This trend is estimated to continue. On the other hand, besides producing rice, paddy fi elds also have multifunctional roles that include preventing fl ooding and

soil erosion and stabilizing the water volume of rivers. This is why paddy fi elds must be maintained in the future. Accordingly, efforts are being made toward the full utilization of paddy fi elds by shifting production away from rice as a staple food to crops demanded such as rice for feed, wheat and soybeans.

Full Utilization of Paddy Fields with Crops Demanded

Providing Safe and Good-Quality Domestic Livestock Products

◆ Vegetables

◆ Flowering Plants

Regional fl owering nurturing activities

Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers

In recent years the purchase of fresh vegetables has declined. On the other hand, there has been an increase in purchases of processed vegetables such as for salads and demand for processing and/or industrial-use vegetables now accounts for around 60% of total demand for vegetables. Meanwhile, within processing and/or industrial-use demand, the share of domestically produced vegetables has declined to around 70% due to a rise in imported vegetables. Therefore, MAFF provides support such as for the introduction of new technologies for production of processing and/or industrial-use vegetables toward raising the share of domestically produced vegetables.

Such important livestock prod-ucts as milk, dairy products, beef, pork, chicken and hen eggs are sources of protein and calcium. To deliver safe and good-quality domestic livestock products to consumers, support is being provided for the economic stability of livestock farmers and for raising their productivity.

* Flowering plants include such ornamental plants as cut fl owers, potted fl owers, fl owering trees, bulbous plants, fl ower bed seedlings, grass and ground-covering plants.

Various initiatives are being implemented to promote the fl ower-ing plants* industry and fl ower culture. These include establishing a stable production and supply structure for fl owers, increasing the usable life of plants, streamlining distribution, promoting exports, utilizing fl owers for public facilities and community development, and undertaking fl ower nurturing activities. Additionally, a supply structure is being established for domestically produced fl owers that will be used for decorations at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics both inside and outside of venues as well as for victory bouquets.

Shine MuscatThis yellow-green grape is a new variety registered in 2006. This grape has a muscat aroma and high sugar content and can be eaten together with the skin. Cultivation is not diffi cult and extends across a wide area from Tohoku to Kyushu. Land area under cultivation has increased approximately eightfold over the past four years.

◆ Fruit

Fruit cultivation is labor intensive with numerous operations requiring advanced technologies. Therefore, realizing labor-saving operations and reducing working hours are important issues. Efforts are being made to develop and introduce new cultivation technologies and expand the scale of operations. To boost demand for fruit, initiatives are being promoted to develop varieties that meet customer needs and to introduce these in production regions as well as to develop fruit processed products.

The creation of distinctive livestock products that utilize rice for feed is being watched with interest. For example, the yolk color of eggs of hens fed on a lot of rice is lighter. For swine fed on a lot of rice, oleic acid in fat increases and linoleic acid decreases and pork quality improves. Utilizing these characteristics, efforts for branding of livestock products are being made in various regions. Livestock products produced using rice for feed are supported by consumers because these products use domestic feed, enhance fl avor and make effective use of paddy fi elds.

いた

カブ（野菜）のイメ

Various support measures are being implemented to maintain and raise consumption of rice, which is an indis-pensable and important staple food of the Japanese people. These include promoting the school lunch program for

children, who are the future generation of consumers, and promoting stable trans-actions of industrial-use rice for home-meal replacement and eating-out, which account for approximately one-third of consumption of rice as a staple.

Boosting Consumption of the Important Staple “Rice”

Meeting arranged for buyers/suppliers of industrial-use rice

JA Tonamino departed from operations centered on rice cultivation and shifted to agricultural products demanded. It built a mechanized integrated system and set up the Hokuriku region’s fi rst dedicated onion low-temperature drying, sorting and storage facility for stable shipments.

School lunch program

● Per Capita Volume of Rice Consumption (annually)

Branding of Livestock Products Utilizing Rice for Feed

Egg from a hen fed on a lot of rice for feed

Photograph provided by NARO Institute of Fruit Tree Science

1962118.3kg

Equivalent to approximately

5 bowls per day

Source: “Food Balance Sheets” by MAFF

201455.2kg

Equivalent to approximately

3 bowls per day

Supporting Main Agricultural Products

2120

To make agriculture a progressive industry, it is necessary to fully utilize the resources and potential of rural areas through technological innovation. For this purpose, efforts are being aimed at expanding the scale of agricultural operations and realizing labor-saving and low-cost operations by introducing cutting-edge technologies from interdisciplinary fi elds such as robots and information communications technology (ICT).

Opening the Way to the Future through Cutting-Edge Technologies

“Smart agriculture” involves using robot technologies to improve soil productivity, plant seeds, weed and harvest as well as to record farmwork using cloud systems. This new type of agricul-ture is now moving closer to reality. Smart agriculture utilizes leading-edge technologies such as

robot technologies and ICT to enable ultra-labor-saving and high-quality production. MAFF undertakes initiatives including the research and development and on-site introduction of leading-edge technologies to realize smart agriculture.

Toward the Realization of Smart Agriculture

● Features of Smart Agriculture

Realize ultra-labor-saving and large-scale production (GPS automated driving systems, etc.)

Provide security and confi dence to consumers(cloud systems, etc.)

Release farmers from heavy labor and dangerous work(wearable robots, weeding robots, etc.)

Realize farmer-friendly agriculture(assist devices for agricultural machinery,

data compilation of know-how, etc.)

Maximize the potential of crops(Detailed and precise agricultural operations)

Smart Agriculture

Potato cultivation management using ICT

The sophistication and effi ciency of production systems through accumulated data analysis using ICT is expected to also enable effi cient operation in extensive fi elds. Progress is also being made in research enabling “crafts-manship” to be put into a database and manuals that allow even people with little experience to use sophisticated technol-ogies. This could bring hopes for the smooth succession of technologies to younger generations and for an increase in new farmers.

Utilization of ICT

Next-Generation Greenhouse Horticulture

Greenhouse horticulture is indispensable for stable supplies and production of vegetables and other agricultural products. However, many of these products require warming in winter, making it essential to break away from reliance on fossil fuels from the perspective of cost reductions and global warming. For this reason, MAFF promotes the establishment of next-generation greenhouse horticulture bases that consolidate

facilities for large-scale operations and perform advanced environmental control through the use of ICT. These facilities undertake total operations from production to preparation and shipment while reducing costs through the use of local energy such as woody biomass. Besides breaking away from reliance on fossil fuels, it is expected to raise the income of producers and create jobs locally.

Utilization of Robot Technologies

Collaborative work system that simultaneously performs two work operations with a driverless tractor and a tractor with a driver

To realize on-site labor-saving operations in the agricultural, forestry and fi sheries and food industries, MAFF promotes the introduction of robot technologies in collaboration with the robot and other industries. That includes the automation of work using GPS* automated driving systems and the mechanization and

automation of heavy human work. These technologies are based on the “Japan’s Robot Strategy” decided at meetings of the Headquarters for Japan’s Economic Revitalization. *GPS: Global positioning system

MAFF is undertaking research and development on agricultural, forestry and fi shery products possessing functional ingredients. In research carried out to the present, we have discovered that O-methylated catechin contained in “Benifuuki” green tea is effective in alleviating the effects of eye and nose discomfort caused by house dust, etc, and that beta-cryptoxanthin contained in satsuma mandarin oranges is effective in maintaining the health of bones.

Benifuuki green tea containing O-Methylated catechin

Large-scale greenhouse

Introduce leading-edge technologies (e.g., remote control of environment in large-scale facilities, cultivation of tomatoes with low node-order pinching and high density planting)

● Model of Next-Generation Greenhouse Horticulture

Integrated industrial park

Seedling supply center

Shipment center

Total artifi cial light-type plant-growing facility

Energy supply

Woody biomass and other regional resources

Automated robot puts food in lunch boxesWearable robot lessening the burden of unloading work

R&D of Future-Generation Technologies

Ultrasonic distance sensor

Solar battery

Wi-Fi/3G/4G/LTE

Soil temperature sensor

Battery

Root zone soil moisture sensor

Internal temperature sensor

Light sensor (leaf area index sensor)

Functional Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products

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